Climbing in Corsica with Frank: six days of multi-pitch routes in Restonica and Bavella, with granite, tafoni and a few adventures lasting until sunset!
Usually, in the fall, Frank and I tend to turn our attention to the cold, austere north faces of the Écrins massif, in search of a beautiful mixed-terrain climb to tackle with our crampons...
But the idea, tossed out three weeks earlier in Bérarde’s characteristic joking manner, hit the mark. The mountains are quite dry at the start of fall, and Frank doesn’t know Corsica at all: that’s all it takes to be tempted! So here we are, on our way to the Isle of Beauty in late October—the ideal time to visit, when the island has returned to near-calm, provided we catch a good weather window... In that regard, we’ll be in for a treat, since we’re arriving right after a major Mediterranean storm and leaving 24 hours before the next one hits… An abundance of sunshine and granite is on the agenda!
Sunday: Restonica / San Teofalu and La Manu
After arriving early by boat in Bastia, I meet up with Frank at his hotel and we head straight for the mountains. On this first day, we’ll get acquainted with Corsican granite deep in the Restonica Valley, above the Bergerie de Melu, on Punta San Teofalu. A route that’s not too long will be perfect to warm up: San Teofalu will be our appetizer for the day… Just the right kind of gentle climb in the sun, a dreamlike landscape, a perfect climb—it’s all looking good!
Obviously, by combining the pitches, it’s over in no time, and once we’ve climbed down from the route, the conclusion is clear: we still have time, and the route next to it looks really nice. And off we go on “La Manu,” another really beautiful route...
All of this gently leads us into nightfall... Thanks to the groceries we’ve stocked in the truck, we’re self-sufficient and can stay in the Restonica Valley for three days without having to return to civilization... The valley is very quiet during All Saints’ Day, and we set up camp in a peaceful spot near the river. The evening’s schedule is packed and will serve as our daily yoga routine: setting up camp, drinks, dinner, and then off to bed with the chickens!
Monday: Restonica / Queue Dalle and Les Autostoppeuses
Our plan for the day is to pay a quick visit to the unmissable “Autumn Symphony” above Lake Capitellu… but we didn’t count on the nasty draft sweeping across the island today. At Lake Melo, the decision is final: with snot running down our noses, bundled up in our Gore-Tex gear, buffeted by gusts of wind, and with those big clouds looming high above, we’re going to have to come up with another plan for today!!
Fortunately, the Restonica has more than one trick up its sleeve, and the sun-drenched view of the foothills of Cima San Gavino gives us a little hope! A perfect Plan B given today’s conditions. Here we are, sheltered from the wind and basking in the sun; the rock is perfect. So we might not be tackling a “world classic,” but we’re still in the top tier! First warm-up on Queue Dalle, then—since the climbers still have time and energy left—we move on to Les Autostoppeuses—I’m talking about the route, of course. That’s just what we needed to wrap up the day as the light fades with our 400 m of classic climbing!
Evening yoga and a good night's sleep in the peaceful Restonica Valley.
Tuesday: Restonica / Esmeralda
It’s already the third day of climbing, and since everything’s going so well, I suggest to Frank a more challenging route at Punta U Finellu: Esméralda. Still half-asleep when we set out, we park too high up, which means a little morning hike through the scrub to help us digest breakfast! Once we’re back on track, we follow the “canyon” leading up to the face without a hitch. It’s a glorious day—perfect for climbing in a T-shirt!
Right from the first pitch, you’re thrown right into it: this is going to be awesome! The climbing is very varied on rock that’s simply flawless... The pitches on tafoni go much better than the steep slab pitches. It’s crazy how much better you feel hanging full-out on a tafoni than with your feet gripping friction slabs… I just don’t get it!
The finish is truly stunning, followed by a pretty efficient rappel. We weren't disappointed with the trip!
Feeling thoroughly relaxed after a day of hiking and climbing, we decide to take it easy in the Restonica Valley and save the drive for tomorrow...
Wednesday: Bavella / Patrimonio and the Quenza Ridge
A short stretch of road from Corte to Bavella... We take the opportunity to stock up and fill the truck with food for the three or four days we have left.
Just the road leading up to Bavella is a beautiful sight—I never get tired of it, and Frank is completely captivated! We set up camp at the pass before heading out to climb the Aiguilles de Bavella... After yesterday’s day, a route that isn’t too demanding will do just fine! We head toward the foothills of Punta di a Vacca, where we climb Patrimonio. The first section isn’t very interesting, but the second pitch is really classy… We push on to the summit. It’s 4 p.m. The conditions are perfect. We linger a while…
Of course, at the sight of the nearby peaks, the Accellu and the Arghjetu, my hands start to sweat and I begin to hatch a devilish plan: We’ll get pumped up, lighten our packs as much as possible, and sprint up the Quenza ridge to catch the sunset up there… We can’t afford to dawdle. Frank is thrilled by this dubious idea—let’s go!
I take the opportunity to skip the actual start of the ridge, and we climb two pitches on slightly harder variations. The rest is really awesome, with fairly easy tafoni fields spiced up by a few sections that are still quite challenging... As expected, night falls on us at the summit amid a completely surreal atmosphere, with the sunset on one side and the full moon rising over the sea on the other!!
We descended via the standard route, using headlamps and relying on our instincts, before heading back in the light of the full moon to the Bavella Pass, where our little evening feast awaited us... That’s how you turn a day off into a little hike!
Thursday: Bavella / U Haddad and Omerta
Today, it’s so mild that we’re trying to climb in the shade. It’s a chance to pay a quick visit to Punta di U Peru. The idea is also to hike a little less than yesterday. We’re being sensible and telling ourselves that one route will be enough for today, but Frank isn’t holding out much hope for the guidebook anymore and knows that as soon as we reach the summit, I’ll already have my eye on the route next to it!!
First, in U Haddad, we warm up on the initial pitches, which aren’t too difficult, including a pretty fun pitch in a sort of giant tafoni… A short boulder-style pitch leads to the next section… and what a section! The upper section is truly fantastic—we climbed it in two pitches—with the first pitch passing through an arch and the final pitch being absolutely spectacular on stunning red granite… How could you not be tempted by the route right next to it!
Two long abseils later, we set out again on Omerta above the 6b+ section... It’s a slightly different style but also really cool, especially the last pitch... A short stretch in the sun finally convinced us that we’d made the right choice by climbing in the shade today!
After all those evenings camping, Frank is inviting me to the inn tonight—just to take a big break from our almost-vegetarian diet! A proper barbecue served in generous portions!
Friday: Bavella / Le Dos d'Éléphant
When Frank wakes up in the morning, I can tell he’s already silently asking me about the day’s plans... After five days of granite and an average of 400 meters of climbing per day, the calluses on Frank’s fingers have thinned out drastically, but maybe there’s still a way to treat ourselves to one last great climb... How can we resist the urge to go for a hike on the Dos d’Éléphant, visible from everywhere? Frank knew full well that I’d eventually suggest it, and even though he dreads the ordeal of friction slabs, he gets excited about the idea without hesitation...
My only worry for today was that I’d get too hot… But I hadn’t counted on the cloudy spells and the wind, which picked up and grew stronger throughout our climb. The gusts lashing against the Dos add a bit of excitement to the slab sections where balance is sometimes precarious!! We stop at the top of the Dos. We’re exhausted and worn out from these six days of climbing—no need to push it any further!!
It's worth noting that there's a rope team ahead of us today... This is definitely the first time we've seen any climbers this week!!
We head toward the sea along the east coast and find a small stretch of private beach to spend the night...
Saturday: hanging out at the beach and taking a walk through the chestnut groves before heading home!
A peaceful wake-up this morning. From my comforter in the back of the truck, I let myself be swept away by the beauty of the sunrise... We take our time, letting the moments stretch out. A swim in the still-mild sea, and then we head out to stretch our legs on a small peak not far from Bastia, in a remote valley... The hike is punctuated by some colorful encounters!!
I leave my Frank at the airport and spend the rest of the afternoon wandering the streets of Bastia in search of some food to bring back to the mainland. A lovely musical interlude with an unlikely Hungarian accordionist, and my Corsican adventure comes to a close with plenty of plans for next time!
Practical Info / Route Topo
Day 1 – Restonica
- Punta San Teofalu – San Teofalu (200 m, TD) & La Manu (200 m, TD)
Day 2 – Restonica
- Cima di San Gavinu Buttress – Queue Dalle (200 m, TD−) & Les Autostoppeuses (200 m, TD+)
Day 3 – Restonica
- Punta A U Finellu – Esméralda (450 m, TD+)
Day 4 – Bavella
- Punta di a Vacca – Patrimonio (350 m, TD−) & Arête de Quenza (250 m, D+)
Day 5 – Bavella
Day 6 – Bavella
- Punta di U Corbu – Le Dos d’Éléphant (280 m, TD+)
Day 7 – Return to Bastia
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